Having a day sleep = laaaaate bed time.....

My DS is coming up to nearly being 3 and a half and he is still having a day sleep.

I dont really want him too, but sometimes there is nothing I can do about him nodding off if I'm busy with DD (nearly 10 months) who can be quite demanding at times....

Most of the time he'll be fine up until around 2pm then he will crash for sometimes up to 2 / 2.5 hours so waking up that late means he is no where near ready for bed until we hit the sack as late as 11pm sometimes......if I wake him up after about 1/2 an hour or so he usually throws a tanty (as I would probably do too after just dozing off for a nice sleep!)

I feel bad for him because I cant dedicate my time to him sometimes and the lack of attention leads him to do something boring like watch TV and causing him to nod off...

I'm just at a loss as to how to keep him awake when I cant run around the yard or do anything active with him to keep him going. He usually has his bath then goes to his room to watch a DVD but never stays in there as he's not tired...

It's very draining having a little one who doesnt sleep well at all during the day OR night and a toddler that is up until we go to bed who talks non stop and has a very vivid imagination!

Any suggestions?

Thanks ladies! Just venting makes me feel better! :D

oh hun, that must be so hard!!!
can u try get him to have a shorter sleep earlier in the day?
Does he have any nap time triggers? like a glass of milk or anything?
DD1 still goes down for an hour, she doesnt sleep but she has some quiet play time in her room, if she doesnt she's feral by tea time.
She knows that once a certian cartoon is over its time for a rest.
Sorry not much help really, hope u get something sorted

I have a similar thing with my DD who I have just realised shares the SAME birthday as your JD!!!! Gorgeous special kidlets!

Anyhoo - Iz still has a sleep, without it she is ridiculously tired but if she sleeps for too long she won't go to sleep until 9ish, which is late for us because bedtime here for both is 7-7:30. I have decided to wake her after an hour and a half now if she goes longer, so far she has been waking after an hour most days so it has been fine but maybe you could explain that you will gently wake him up after a certain time so that you can do some special cooking/craft together so he doesn't have a tanty? Maybe some painting or something special like that??

Good luck with it, it is a fun age!!

Shayna, DS1 has just grown out of day sleeps in the past 6 mths, he occasionally still has one at childcare, not too often thankfully, but I can relate. Is there anything that he really loves? Maybe suggest he does that (build things, race his cars) when you need to see to Abbey - in saying that I turn the TV on almost everytime I have to feed Mr I 'cause it keeps L out of my hair, but maybe if there's something he's excited about it'd have the same result without encouraging sleep.

Hopefully someone else has better advice.